Grilled Pork with Corn & Zucchini Salad

This dinner is simple and easy, yet the flavors combination is outstanding.  The salad pairs perfectly well with a yummy grilled pork chop.  It’s fast and easy, but fancy enough to serve for company! 

Grilled Pork with Corn & Zucchini Salad

Ingredients

• 4 pork chops, boneless
• Montreal Steak Seasoning
• 1 medium zucchini, quartered
• 1 large cob of sweet corn
• 1 sweet Vidalia onion
• 1 C cherry tomatoes
• 1 T olive oil
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

Begin by seasoning the pork chops with Montreal steak seasoning and placing them on a grill over medium heat.  Cook, flipping occasionally, until internal temperature of the pork reaches 170 degrees. 

Meanwhile, cut the corn off the cob and toss with chopped onions, quartered zucchini and cherry tomatoes in 1 T olive oil.  Season with salt and pepper, as desired. 

Arrange the veggies on a foil-lined grill pan (alternatively you could roast these at 450 in the oven for 30 minutes). 

Place the pan on the grill and grill for 20ish minutes until the zucchini and onions are tender.  Serve alongside the pork chops. 

Enjoy!

Garlic and Onion Bratwurst

With the 4th of July just around the corner, now is a perfect time to share a delicious brat recipe. 

For excellent flavor, these brats are simmered in beer, garlic and onion.  The end result is nothing short of the best bratwurst you’ve ever eaten. 

Garlic and Onion Bratwurst – Inspired by Michael and Leah

Ingredients

• 1 package bratwurst
• 1 medium sweet Vidalia onion
• 1/2 tsp. minced garlic
• 1/2 tsp. pepper
• Pinch of paprika
• 1 (12oz) can of beer

Directions

Begin by slicing up in the onion into wedges and then separating each wedge. 

Place the onions, brats, and garlic, pepper and paprika into a large stockpot.  Top with beer. 

Bring to a slow boil, and then reduce to a simmer.  Simmer for 15-30 minutes, covered.  Rotate the brats once during simmering. 

Remove from the pan and rinse any foam off the brats as needed. 

Place the brats on a grill that has been heated to medium.  Cook the brats on medium heat for 10-12 minutes, rotating 2-3 times during the grilling.  Cook until the skin is nicely browned and the internal temperature of the brats crosses 170 degrees (for pork-based brats). 

Meanwhile, keep simmering the onions until they are nice and caramelized.  Serve atop the brats. 

Serve warm and enjoy! 

Crockpot Pulled Teriyaki Pork Sandwiches

With the weather heating up, a good crockpot meal is in order.  While we certainly love our crockpot, I was looking for a sandwich recipe that did not involve BBQ, and I thought this tangy teriyaki pulled pork sandwich sounded interesting to try. 

We loved the flavor and it was so easy to make!  I can imagine some grilled or fried pineapple on the sandwich too.  Yum!

Crockpot Pulled Teriyaki Pork Sandwiches – Adapted from Jamie Cook’s It Up

Ingredients

• Pork roast or loin, ~2 lbs
• Low-Sodium Montreal Steak Seasoning (McCormick)
• 1/4 C chicken broth
• 1 recipe teriyaki sauce
• Whole wheat buns
• Pineapple {optional}

Directions

Place the pork roast/loin into the base of your crockpot and pour 1/4 C chicken broth over the roast.  Sprinkle the roast with Montreal Steak seasoning; roughly 1-2 tsp.  Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours, until pork reaches 170 degrees. 

When the pork is ready, prepare the teriyaki sauce, by mixing together the water, cornstarch, soy sauce, ginger, honey and garlic.  Bring to a simmer on the stovetop until thick.  Set aside. 

Shred the pork with two forks, and pour the teriyaki sauce over the top. 

Serve on a whole wheat bun.  If desired, grill or fry up a pineapple ring and place on the sandwich. 

Enjoy!

Easy Pork (or Chicken) Fried Rice

Every time I talk with friends or family the need for quick and filling weeknight dinners comes up.  I hear you there.  It’s hard to work outside of the home (or inside of it, for that matter!) and have  time to make dinner. 

As the semester picks up for me, I feel the need for quick dinners.  This one was quick and also a great use of leftovers.

Easy fried rice using leftover cooked pork loin, couple with brown rice (if I had leftovers, I would have used them here too), frozen veggies and eggs.  Easy, easy, easy. 

 

Easy Pork or Chicken Fried Rice – Adapted from Life in the Lofthouse

Ingredients

• 2 C uncooked brown rice (we used Minute Rice)
• 2 C frozen mixed veggies (peas & carrots preferred)
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 C low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tsp. dried minced garlic
• 1 tsp. dried minced onion
• pepper, to taste
• 1 C diced and fully cooked chicken or pork

Directions

Prepare the rice according to package directions and set aside.  Meanwhile, sauté the frozen veggies with the 1 tsp. minced garlic and 1 tsp. minced onion over medium heat.  If you typically use olive oil to sauté, do so here as well. 

Toss in the diced pork or chicken and then push the veggie mixture over to one side. 

Lightly spray the bottom of your pan with olive oil and crack open two eggs, scrambling them as you add them to the pan.  Cook over medium heat for 1-2 minutes until the eggs are cooked through. 

Mix the eggs and veggie mixture back together and then add in the cooked rice.  Stir in 1/4 C soy sauce and remove the dish from the heat.  If needed, season with pepper. 

Serve warm, and enjoy! 

Crockpot Balsamic Pork Loin with Apples & Onions

One of my longtime friends recently shared this recipe with me in her weekly grocery bag post.  Queen B mentioned how easy and tasty this recipe is, and knowing that her kiddos love this recipe too encouraged me to give it a try. 

It seemed perfect for fall, and I loved the use of balsamic on pork and delicious apples.  I opted to convert the recipe from the oven to the crockpot, which made it even easier.  We’ll definitely be making this one again!

Crockpot Balsamic Pork Loin with Apples & Onions – Adapted from My Recipes

Ingredients

• 1 2.5-3lb pork loin or roast
• 3 T brown sugar
• 1 T minced onion
• 1/4 tsp. minced garlic
• pinch of chili powder
• pepper & salt
• 1/4 C chicken broth
• 1 medium onion, cut into wedges
• 1/3 C balsamic vinegar
• 4 apples (sweet/tart combo preferred)
• 1 T butter

Directions

Pour 1/4 C chicken broth into the bottom of your slow cooker.  Arrange the wedged onion over the top.  Place the pork over the top. 

Combine 3 T brown sugar with 1 T minced onion, 1/4 tsp. garlic, salt, pepper and a pinch of chili powder.  Rub this mixture over the sides and top of the roast.  Then, drizzle 1/3 C balsamic vinegar over the roast. 

Cover, and cook on low for 8-10 hours.

1 hour before dinner, prepare the apples by peeling and slicing them.  We chopped ours into 1-2 inch pieces.  Place into a 9x9 glass baking dish and add 1 T butter.  Bake at 350 for approximately 45 minutes. 

Just before serving, drizzle another tablespoon or so of balsamic vinegar over the pork.  Slice and allow the slices of pork to sit in the juices in the bottom of the crockpot until serving. 

Serve with baked apples, onions and winter squash, if desired. 

Enjoy!

Crockpot Pork Tenderloin with Rhubarb Sauce

We are in the midst of our last week of classes and with that means lots of late hours.  Having dinner in the crockpot helps me so much during these busy weeks. 

This dish uses rhubarb in a tasty sauce for the pork; the two flavors are delightful together. 

Toss the pork tenderloin in the crockpot, make some rice in the rice cooker {steam some veggies on the top of the rice cooker} and a quick 5-minute rhubarb sauce later, you have dinner. 

Crockpot Pork Tenderloin with Rhubarb Sauce – Inspired by The Way the Cookie Crumbles

Ingredients

• 1 medium-sized pork tenderloin
• 2 T minced onion
• 4 stalks rhubarb
• 1/4 C sugar
• 1-2 T water

Directions

Begin by placing the pork tenderloin into the insert of your crockpot.  Sprinkle with minced onion. 

Cover and cook on low for 8-9 hours, or on high for 5 hours until internal temperature reaches 180 degrees. 

When you’re just about ready to eat, dice up your 4 rhubarb stalks.  Toss them in a saucepan with the sugar and water.  Be sure to use a heavy-bottomed pan; rhubarb is highly acidic and has been known to eat holes through pans before!

Cook over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes, stirring often, to allow the rhubarb to cook down. 

To serve, top the pork with the rhubarb sauce. 

Enjoy!

BBQ Pulled Pork Potatoes with Cheddar Cheese

This is a simple dinner, but one that tastes delicious and is a complete meal when paired with steamed green veggies – like broccoli. 

Use your favorite BBQ sauce – or make your own from scratch.  I’ve been experimenting with a new BBQ sauce, and we tried that out this time.  It was tasty, but we think we like our cherry BBQ sauce a bit better. 

If you have two crockpots, I recommend making this using two.  If not, you can either make the meat a day in advance and just reheat it, or you can bake the potatoes in the oven. 

BBQ Pulled Pork Potatoes with Cheddar Cheese

Ingredients

• 1-2 potatoes per person eating dinner
• Olive oil
• Sea salt
• Your favorite BBQ sauce (ours is this cherry BBQ sauce)
• 1-2 lbs. pork roast or pork ribs
• Extra sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

Directions

Begin by placing the pork into your crockpot.  Sprinkle with garlic and onion flakes, if desired.  Then, pour the BBQ sauce over the top.  Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours.  When done, use two forks to shred the pork. 

If you have a second crockpot, place the scrubbed potatoes into the crockpot, spritz them with olive oil and sprinkle a few granules of sea salt.  Cover and cook these potatoes in the crockpot on low for 4-6 hours, or on high for 1-2 hours.  {see these directions for photos} 

Alternatively, scrub the potatoes, spritz with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt.  Place on a cookie sheet.  Bake at 350 for 1 hour. 

To serve, slice open potatoes, top with shredded BBQ pork & sprinkle with cheese. 

Enjoy!

Beer Brats

Summer is not complete with grilling of brats!  Whether it's the classic Johnsonville or our new favorite -- a locally produced wild rice brat, the pre-boiling of the brats is key.

First, it boils out a good deal of the fat contained in the brats.

Second, it adds amazing flavor to the brats.

In fact, I have a hard time eating brats that have not been boiled in beer!

Beer Brats
1 can or bottle of beer {of your choosing} per 6 brats

Directions
Place the brats in a large sauce pan.

Pour the beer over the brats.  We don't drink beer... just use it for boiling.  I have no idea about the quality of this beer -- it was just the cheapest we could find.  It worked!

Simmer for 15-20 minutes.

Remove the brats from the beer and place them onto the hot grill.  Grill as you normally would grill brats.

Serve hot and enjoy!  

Linked to: Full Plate Thursday, Cast Party Wednesday

Carrot and Apple Pork Stir Fry

We had some leftover pork from a roast, and we were all but out of groceries.  A few carrots, some apples much past their prime, and two hungry tummies.

Please tell me this happens at your house too.

Schedules get busy.
Plans get scratched.
Dinner sneaks up on you.
And there's no food in the house.

We ended up putting a cinnamon brown-sugar glaze over the carrots and apples, adding in the shredded pork and serving it over brown rice.

We enjoyed it very much.

Carrot and Apple Pork Stir Fry - Finding Joy in My Kitchen
{Print Recipe}

~1 C pulled pork
4 medium apples, peeled and sliced
1 C mini carrots {about 30 carrots}
1 T butter
2 T brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
pinch ginger

Begin by sauteing the carrots in butter in a large skillet.

 After 5-7 minutes, add in the apples. Sprinkle the carrots and apples with brown sugar, cinnamon and a pinch of ginger.

Simmer until apples are tender.

Next, add in the pork.

Heat until warmed throughout.

Serve over brown rice.

Smile.  Dinner was saved and our tummies felt much better.

Cherry BBQ Pork Ribs

One of the stipulations of our home purchase (and me getting to do all sorts of fun things in our kitchen) was that Frog Prince would be able to have a grill.

We watched and waited for an excellent end-of-the-summer sale on the model we wanted, and ended up getting an even better deal than we imagined!  Frog Prince couldn't wait to try it out.

Frog Prince chose ribs and cherry BBQ sauce for his first meal made on the grill.  

It was a good choice if you ask me :)

Cherry BBQ Pork Ribs - Finding Joy in My Kitchen

1 rack of pork ribs
1/2-3/4 C cherry BBQ sauce

Preheat the grill to about 350 degrees.

Then, place the ribs onto the grill and slowly cook them for 1 1/2 hours, turning 2-3 times during the cooking process.

 Check to make sure the internal temperature of the ribs has reached the safe level.

10 minutes before serving brush on the cherry BBQ sauce -- and reduce the heat on the grill at this point so the BBQ sauce doesn't burn.

Serve warm... with lots of napkins and extra cherry BBQ sauce!

Enjoy!